Paul McCartney: ‘Health crisis will not prompt me to retire’

Sir Paul McCartney is adamant his recent health crisis has not made him change his mind about retirement, insisting he will go on performing for as long as he can.

The Beatles legend axed his Asian tour earlier this year after he was hospitalized in Japan with a virus. He also postponed a number of U.S. dates, but he resumed the trek on July 5 after taking several weeks off to recover.

Many fans speculated the health scare could convince the 72-year-old to finally hang up his guitar, but McCartney is adamant he has no plans to retire and cites the Rolling Stones as an example of how veteran musicians can continue playing well into their twilight years.

He tells Rolling Stone magazine, “Obviously, when you get to a certain age, it’s going to be on the cards… When will you give up? When will it give out? Who knows? But the margin has been stretched these days. The (Rolling) Stones go out now, and I go to their show and I think, ‘It doesn’t matter that they’re old gits. They can play great.’ And I talk to young kids who say exactly the same thing: ‘They play good.’ … I think that’s the deciding factor.”

McCartney also insists he enjoys touring, adding, “A lot of people get fed up with life on the road, particularly when you’ve got a really nice home life. But for me, I want it all. I’ve got a great home life, and I’ve got a great life on the road – it’s not like we’re on a Greyhound bus anymore – and the audiences are just so warm, and the feedback is so good.”